DevoToday.com

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Mark 6:4-6

Jesus makes this statement in his own hometown. People who heard of his work were asking “Who is the guy? Isn’t he one of us? Don’t we know his family?” They couldn’t think of him differently than what he was or was from. They couldn’t focus on what he is.

There are times when we know things too well. When I was consulting I called it “the curse of knowledge” (stole that from a book, I think). People become too close to a situation to be able to see what is really happening or to even explain it. They are too used to it.

In what ways do we hold things back by seeing them as they were? Is there a person you have pigeon-holed into what they used to be? Or an organization that you can’t see how it’s different than it used to be? How can you adapt to see what it has become?

Be God’s — every day.

But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy.
Ezra 3:12

The rebuilding of the temple should have been a purely joyous occasion. The old temple, while magnificent, had been gone for some time and would not return. The new temple was magnificent in its own right, and provided a sign of rebirth and renewal.

Yet some still grieved.

The new temple wasn’t the old temple.

Change and replacement is hard. It brings with it various emotions, as people deal with it differently and understand it differently. Some hate it, others embrace it.

I’ve found the most important thing about dealing with change is knowing how you deal with change personally. How do you struggle with it, and what does that mean for how you can healthily experience change?

Consider the changes in your life… How do you react?

God doesn’t dictate a style of change. But He is a God of renewal, and change will come as He guides His people. Be prepared!

Be God’s — every day.

So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!
2 Corinthians 5:17

The new things have arrived…

It’s a new year. Passing from 31 to 32 isn’t an eventful birthday. Just another birthday. Yet it is a reminder of who we are, where we come from, and/or the hope of who we can become. I still get the “you’re so young and have so much life to live” comments… Which I suppose is true. But when will that yield to “you’ve lived a good life?” For many, birthdays are a sign of the “new” we are not happy about. New means old has gone away. The years are fleeting… So a new one means we’ve lost.

The new things have arrived…

Today is day one in the new job, too. New people, new environment, new commute, new dress code, new culture… I could go on. This brand of new is exciting and refreshing. I was clearly burned out where I was, and I recognized how much I want a fuller life (though the jury is still out on how long it takes for Kim to get sick of me being home every night). This is a good new.

The new things have arrived…

Among this newness, I am reminded of the new self that Jesus makes us all. We’re reborn, casting off our old self and holding true to the promise of a better future. Praise be to God for renewal! Indeed, the new things have arrived!

Be God’s — every day.

The woman said, Sir, I see that you are a prophet.
John 4:19

This short verse comes from the longer story of Jesus meeting “the woman at the well.” There are so many nuggets of greatness that come from this broader passage (John 4:4-42), so it is definitely worth re-reading the whole thing.

Here is a synopsis…

Jesus comes to a town and ends up chatting with a Samaritan woman while at a well. It was strange enough to be talking to a Samaritan — and Samaritan woman at that — let alone a woman with a past. Jesus already knows who she is, what she’s all about, and what she needs. When the woman hears Jesus speak, she recognizes his majesty, and ultimately shares her testimony with others.

While there are lots of things in this story to reflect on, take note today that Jesus already knew of the woman’s past and sin, even though she did not want to admit to it. He did not condemn her. He simply showed her that he knew the truth, and showed her a better way.

Jesus knows you — deeply. Your gifts, your thoughts, your sins… Everything. even that thing you don’t want to own up to. At first that sounds scary… But recognize that, like the woman at the well, Jesus isn’t condemning you for it. He simply wants you to see it and find a better way.

Be God’s — every day.

There’s a season for everything
and a time for every matter
under the heavens: a time for giving birth and a time for dying,
a time for planting and a time for uprooting what was planted, a time for killing and a time for healing,
a time for tearing down
and a time for building up…
Ecclesiastes 3:1-3

It might seem like this blog should be called DevoThisWeek at this point. I’ve missed two straight week days.

Truth is, I haven’t been starting my days the way I’d like. It’s been dragging myself out of bed after just 3 hours of sleep or so (finally got 6 last night!), working late and working early. To some degree, this may continue for a few weeks.

There is good news, and a very real light at the end of the tunnel.

I mentioned weeks ago that I was in a time of discernment. That has come to an end. Last week I gave notice that I am leaving Aon Hewitt, and exiting the consulting industry completely. I have accepted a role at Morningstar as the Director of Global Compensation and Benefits.

My life will not be my own as I wind out of Hewitt, but a more balanced life is coming. Far less travel. More predictable peaks and valleys in workload. Less pressure from multiple deadlines. No selling. And Morningstar is on the Fortune Top 100 Places to Work for a reason. Cheap healthcare, “results only” approach to working hours and vacation, a six week sabbatical every four years, plenty of on the job perks… It’s a great change for me.

For now, I am in a time of uprooting… So I apologize for any missed Devos. But once I am re-rooted, normalcy will resume.

Thank you all for your prayers in the process!

Be God’s — EVERY day.

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
2 Corinthians 7:10

We’ve all given or received those apologies that didn’t seem sincere. We were sorry more because we got caught than because we did the act in the first place. There was some regret, but not so much that it left you a changed person.

The same concept exists as we ask for out sins to be forgiven. We can a bit bummed we made a mistake… Which may not have been painful enough that we feel changed. Or, we can recognize how broken we are, and have a sense of commitment to live differently.

Our sins are forgiven. Let that change you.

Be God — every day.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17

Becoming a Christian is a life-altering event.

Really. Literally.

If you log on to the DevoToday.com website and search for “Brandi” you will see my story of how a new dedication to Christ resulted in a “new me” that others could notice. My day-to-day life became different. I realized what being a follower of Christ really meant (or at least I understood it much better than before), and that made a huge impact on who I was and continue to be.

Is the new me perfect? Of course not. Do I still have a lot to learn? Absolutely. But it’s a new me experiencing that spiritual growth and general personal happiness in a way the old me would not have been able to experience.

Don’t just blindly believe. Let your faith change you. The grace of God has the power to transform, not just give us something to sing about on Sunday. Listen for God’s voice to speak to you, and be prepared to become a new you.

Be God’s — every day.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17

There are very few things that are able to completely overhaul and change a person. We are resistant to change, and the baggage of our daily lives weighs us down from progress. Releasing that baggage is tough to do on our own.

Our faith has that transformative power. By faith, Christ releases that baggage and allows to explore a whole new side of life. I have seen people change in dramatic ways — some immediately, some more gradually — that surely were led by the Spirit. Deeply held ideas that prevented one person from accepting and loving all people were washed away to compassion for all. Addictions have been overcome. Depression turns to joy. And these are just a few of the dramatic things Christ has done that I have personally witnessed.

If there is something in an “old self” that you want to change, offer it to the transformative power of Jesus Christ. Through Christ we can be made new!

Be God’s — every day.

“Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Joel 2:12

I remember a time when I was in 5th grade, my Sunday School teacher told us that when we sin we should ask for forgiveness. I asked, “So then when we keep sinning, we just have to keep asking for forgiveness over and over again? That seems pretty easy.” “Yes, it is easy. Jesus lifts that burden.”

We will all sin. Every one of us. What God wants from us as a result is repentance — which is more than just saying “Oops, my bad” and moving on. Repentance involves real life change.

Many Christians, like my memory of the Sunday School teacher, present a more transactional view of forgiveness. It is seen as a destination — we ARE forgiven. Been there done that. You convert, you are good, now when you sin say you are sorry.

Yep, it’s true. It’s tough to look in the mirror and see that, but that is the brand of Christianity we see a lot. We put a lot of emphasis on destinations and process, forgetting that becoming and being a Christian is about spiritual transformation and a commitment to ongoing discipleship.

We all sin. What God wants from us is to see our faults and try to change. To act differently. To feel bad and to mourn for our sins. Just asking for forgiveness is not the point. God wants our hearts to change.

Be God’s — every day.

Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
Isaiah 35:3-4

These words of reassurance come just after a description of war and sickness to come. A scary message, creating fear among those listening… But followed with words of hope. It gets better…

Many people can feel like they are in the midst of war and sickness. The pain can be deep. It is incumbent on us as Christians to share our message of hope. It gets better…

I mentioned a few days ago that part of the reason young people outside the church continue to stay away is because “Christians” are largely defined by what they are against. I say “they” because that’s not the kind of Christian I want to be. Sure, there are things that are wrong and require correction. But what if our primary message was of hope, not judgment. It gets better, not this is wrong.

We welcome the broken like Jesus did. We accept pain and offer a truth than can bring solace. We reach out with open arms to help, not a closed shaking fist about why needs to change.

The negative image of Christians can change. We can get better, too.

Be God’s — every day.